Yesterday, alarmed, I posted in “PawSox sock the Bucket” a drawing of the proposed new PawSox stadium in downtown Pawtucket and warned against the poor architecture it suggested might be in store for the Bucket. Today, the Providence Journal published what I hope is an updated image of the ballfield within its context. This illustration is by DAIQ Architects, which designed the stadium proposal for downtown Providence in 2015. Here the stadium does not look modernist and, while not outstanding, neither do the proposed commercial buildings. At least they are no longer glass boxes. The field and the stands are oriented differently. Most fans would face Route 95; the new commercial buildings can no longer be blamed for blocking a nice view, as was the case in yesterday’s illustration. I have posted both images here, today’s above and yesterday’s below. (The improved image does not alter my conviction that the team owners, not city or state taxpayers, should pay for the stadium themselves.)

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About David Brussat

For a living, I edit the writing of some of the nation's leading architects, urbanists and design theorists. This blog was begun in 2009 as a feature of the Providence Journal, where I was on the editorial board and wrote a weekly column of architecture criticism for three decades. Architecture Here and There fights the style wars for classical architecture and against modern architecture, no holds barred. My freelance writing and editing on that topic and others addresses issues of design and culture locally and globally. I am a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, and a member of the board of the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, which bestowed an Arthur Ross Award on me in 2002. I work from Providence, R.I., where I live with my wife Victoria, my son Billy and our cat Gato.
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8 Responses to New view of PawSox field

The desired orientation for a baseball stadium is east-northeast from home plate through second base. The first view showed that, the second doesn’t. The main difference between the two is the amount of time the renderer had to add detail to the drawing: when you want something put out quickly, you get blah boxes.
On the self driving cars: I will eat this post if a self driving car can navigate the S curve and RI drivers.

Ah ha. I see. … Flawed as the human brain is, I think its ability to drive safely far outstrips any likely computer effort to do so in our era. The multiple integrated software in each vehicle, interacting with who knows how many other systems – individual systems in each nearby car, individual systems keeping all the other integrated systems updated on, say, whether a manhole is open on the street or what sort of congestion, accidents or unuual automotive activity lies ahead – these are not going to operate well, and one malfunction could well upset the whole integration process at every moment going forward. I just can’t conceive of this all working effectively, and its effect on society would be so vast that the unforeseen consequences could be as devastating as they might be beneficial, with no reliable way to tell in advance.

I wonder why they have the fans facing the highway? One of the selling points for the Providence Stadium was that the fans could watch home runs land in the river. Wouldn’t that be just as much fun in Pawtucket? Also, that still a massive brick building just yards from the lovely Pawtucket Congregational Church. What’s with that?

I don’t know, Bruce, whether the protocols for stadium locations factor in the location of the sun or shadows or whatever. It would make sense to have the fans viewing the downtown, esp. the tower of City Hall. And yes, the Congregational Church would still sit awkwardly near one of the new commercial buildings, but in the new drawing that building seems to be only four stories. Furthermore, if it is an attractive building (big if!), then its proximity to the church is far less damaging and more a part of an admirable urban landscape.

And, I believe the Pawtucket “S” Curves were rated one of the top 10 most dangerous highway spots in RI – if not the whole US…now people can look up from texting to see what the score is! Or look at the fireworks…or hear the music…my, my…and the dwarfing of the pristine refurbished yellow jewel of Slater Mill…in its shadow…